Laser Eye Surgery Anyone? | GTAMotorcycle.com

Laser Eye Surgery Anyone?

AngelEyez

AngelEyez

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Has anyone gotten this done or know anyone who got this done? If so I have a few questions:

1) What was your/their prescription before you/they got it done?

2) Who did you/they go with and why?

3) How much did it cost?

4) Happy with the results? Side effects? Regrets? Things that would have been done differently?

5) How long before you got back on the bike after surgery?
 
My wife had it done a few years back and was very happy with the results. Just be aware though, what the surgery gives with one hand it takes away with the other. Also the eye will continue to deteriorate over time so further surgery may be a possibility. Also most laser places will tell you that you're a candidate but only a select few will tell you if it's worth the money or if it's the right time.

My wife went to The Bochner Institute downtown. She was happy with the surgery, the aftercare and the results. I had a free analysis at the same time and was basically told to wait a while as my eyes were still degrading and needed to plateau a bit before I became a good candidate for surgery.
 
Thanks Fiery. I've been reading about potential side effects like night vision issues, sensitivity to light and that it takes quite a while for your eyes to stabilize after the surgery - up to six months.
 
AngelEyez said:
Thanks Fiery. I've been reading about potential side effects like night vision issues, sensitivity to light and that it takes quite a while for your eyes to stabilize after the surgery - up to six months.
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I should have remembered about that. Yes,my wife gets a lot more glare now when driving at night. Like I said, ying & yang. It isn't a 100% solution.
 
Seems like its only worth it if you have a pretty high prescription, considering there are trade offs. I would hope it wouldn't mean I couldn't go for night rides any more. Do you remember what her recovery time was? Also did she experience any pain or discomfort?
 
Had it done about 12 years ago now.
Overall, very happy with the results. Place I had it done at in downtown Kitchener is now closed (closed about 3 months after my surgery actually). Price was $1200 total.

Why? I was a competitive kick boxer and played lots of sports. Contacts worked for some sports, but not kick boxing.

Side Effects:
Chronic dry eye... Systane brand eye drops work best for me.
On really bright days, I can see a "fuzz" in the top right corner of my vision.
Haloes on lights at night - lasted about a year before gradually disappearing. Just kind of different.

No other light or dark sensitivity. Night vision didn't suffer at all, light doesn't bother me except for the fuzz, which barely registers anymore unless I'm paying attention to it.
Vision was a -2.75 IIRC - needed glasses to drive etc. A book at arm's length was blurry, but I could still read it (barely, with squinting).

Didn't have a bike back then... but it was 2 weeks before going back to sports, and a month before going to back to contact sports.
 
Thanks Big. I'm sure the technology has progressed a lot in the last 12 years, so It's good to know that even having it done that long ago you're happy with the results. One place told me a week before I can get on the bike, Another place has said two weeks. $1200 sounds really good although 12 years ago you would get more bang for that amount. I got quoted in the 4500 to 5000 range.

Also good to know that you were doing contact sports a month after!
 
havent got it done personally but have talked to a lot of ppl that have had it done.
glare will be an issue.. other stuff should not be too much of an issue if its done properly.
sunglasses a must in the day time. i have done glasses with anti-glare coating with zero power. that seems to help ppl with glare while driving at night and also while watching tv. if it still bothers you, you can have 15-20% tint done on clear lenses which would help further.
Usually from what the ppl have told me when they went for the laser treatment, the doc had told them their rx would reduce for sure but they didnt gurantee zero power rx. Almost all are happy with the treatment. Like other stated your vision still does deteriorate. it could be 3 years from now or 10...
Some places also has the option of you going back to them after the treatment if your vision doesnt go to where you expected and they will do further treatment again at no charge. But thats usually only a limited time offer.
 
AngelEyez said:
Has anyone gotten this done or know anyone who got this done? If so I have a few questions:

1) What was your/their prescription before you/they got it done?

2) Who did you/they go with and why?

3) How much did it cost?

4) Happy with the results? Side effects? Regrets? Things that would have been done differently?

5) How long before you got back on the bike after surgery?
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1)~-1.75
2)lasikmd. At the time ~4 years ago, the laser they were using had the best track record in medical studies. I had an appointment with tlc but their pitch was full of marketing and outright lies so I immediately eliminated them. My surgeon was one of the founders with super curly hair.
3)~4000 (generates a tax refund of 700 or so). I got the expensive option with the more refined laser map. The cheaper option was ~2200. The track record was better for the new laser, it removes less tissue and had lifetime free touch ups
4)20/25 for the first year or so. Regressed now to ~-.75. I am going for a touch up in the fall. no initial halos/night blindness/dry eyes. Now that things are a little blurry, driving after dusk requires more attention.
5)riding is not a big deal, the delay should be short. Things where your eyes may be impacted (mostly high speed water sports like water skiing, wind surfing etc require 3 months or so. Crashing before your eyes have healed could dislodge the flap.

When I read the studies before, Using a laser to create the flap had complications an order of magnitude or more than the microkeratome. I avoided the laser flap removal like the plague. I don't know if this is better or not. The underlying problems still exist, but they may have improved. For those that care, the problems stemmed from the laser vaporizing a layer of you eye and leaving a perfectly smooth surface. This made the flap more likely to move. The microkeratome (basically a razor blade) removes no material and leaves a relatively rough surface so the flap locks back into place.

I have no regrets and would do it again in a second (assuming I could come up with the money)
 
silent_vik said:
Almost all are happy with the treatment.
Some places also has the option of you going back to them after the treatment if your vision doesnt go to where you expected and they will do further treatment again at no charge. But thats usually only a limited time offer.
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Vik good to hear that most people are satisfied. The places I have looked into all offered a lifetime warranty i.e. "free enhancements" at no additional charge. But I was more interested in the higher end, more expensive procedures so this might be why the warranty is included.

Grey thanks! Any information about recovery? Did it take your eyes time before you could see clearly or were you able to see clearly right away? I understand the healing of the flap leaves you a bit hazy initially but as it heals your vision crisps over time. Did you experience this?

I have been advised that since my refractive error is so high (-7) that the likelihood that I will need an enhancement or touch up is higher. Have you done any research into the risks of doing the surgery a second time? Is the healing rate slower? is there an increased risk of complications?
 
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Bigevildoer said:
Haloes on lights at night - lasted about a year before gradually disappearing. Just kind of different.

Night vision didn't suffer at all, light doesn't bother me except for the fuzz, which barely registers anymore unless I'm paying attention to it.
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Wouldn't the Halos be affecting your night vision?

For me, its not worth it
 
Had it done at TLC 7 yrs ago cost was approx $6000 and still have perfect vision I was -3.25. No halos no issues for me, my G/F at the time had it done at the same and has issues with halos and night vison.
 
I did it about 4 years ago for $3500 and would do it again. It is literally a 10 min procedure and painless. Follow the instructions later for the eye drops, etc. Prescription is unchanged since the surgery. You have to confirm you are a candidate. My night vision is not as good as it was but is acceptable. I find the eyes can dry out a little sometimes if wind is on them for a while. I was told that I would require reading glasses for the finest print but that is not really the case. Reading glasses are not as good as the eyes were before the surgery to see up close which is a bit annoying since I used to work on models for work, etc.

Overall though it is still a lot better than glasses which I wore from 9 years old.
 
AngelEyez said:
Grey thanks! Any information about recovery? Did it take your eyes time before you could see clearly or were you able to see clearly right away? I understand the healing of the flap leaves you a bit hazy initially but as it heals your vision crisps over time. Did you experience this?

I have been advised that since my refractive error is so high (-7) that the likelihood that I will need an enhancement or touch up is higher. Have you done any research into the risks of doing the surgery a second time? Is the healing rate slower? is there an increased risk of complications?
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Laid in the dark for 2 days with my eyes closed, put the drops in as directed and wore sunglasses almost all the time for a few months. They vision test you just after the surgery and I noticed an immediate improvement, I just wanted to give my eyes a chance to heal so I left them closed for a while after. Drove at night 3 days after surgery with near perfect vision. Stopped drops as per schedule provided with surgery (maybe 2 months?)

With second surgery there is an increased risk of complications with the flap. You can grow skin or something between the flap and eye. If it happens they open the flap and flush it out. On touchups they only do 1 eye at a time.

I have heard regression of 10-30% is expected after surgery, I don't remember if I found any studies on this or whether it was just anecdotal. I know LasikMD said that some people with huge prescriptions are happy getting back to a normal presription so they don't need coke bottle glasses. They said they had done some people with prescriptions over 10.
 
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AngelEyez said:
Thanks Fiery. I've been reading about potential side effects like night vision issues, sensitivity to light and that it takes quite a while for your eyes to stabilize after the surgery - up to six months.
Click to expand...

^^ umm or total blindness anyone?

You're getting:

[1] surgery,
[2] on your EYES (not like getting surgery on your spleen, OK?)
[3] for cosmetic reasons (you won't see better than you can now see with correction)


checkout
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/lasik-eye-surgery/my00376/dsection=risks

and for horror stories (plenty) google

laser eye surgery horror stories
 
I was -3.50/-3.75 from what I remember.
My wife was about the same.

She had it done 8yrs ago now. I've had mine done 6yrs.

She has regressed a tiny little bit but still 20/20
I've still got eagle eyes 20/25? Whatever better than normal is.

No problems whatsoever. I go in for eye exams and if I don't tell them I've had the surgery they don't even notice. (almost no scarring)

We both had it done at the Hamilton Laser Eye Clinic(top notch)
Paid $3000 for the high end procedure.

While I was there for my surgery there was a woman there who was in trying to get her eyes fixed after being butchered somewhere else some place with a good deal and when she went back a month later it was closed...

Probably the best $3000 I have ever spent. Life changer.

Cheers
 
I hope people know that the surgery doesn't improve vision vs. ordinary prescription eyeglasses.

It's an attempt to correct vision by altering the curvature of your eye instead of correcting via eyeglasses. Correcting via eyeglasses is typically a more accurate correction and often after laser surgery people still need glasses, just weaker ones.
 
Thanks for all the feedback everyone. I think it's definitely a personal decision that has to be made carefully. No one can weigh or examine your own comfort level with the risks associated with the surgery except you. I'm not surprised that there are some nay sayer's. Before I bought my bike I had a ton of people tell me what a crazy risk that was. It's nice to see that there have been many people who are very happy with the procedure and who would do it again.
 
johnp said:
I hope people know that the surgery doesn't improve vision vs. ordinary prescription eyeglasses.
Click to expand...

I think for most the appeal of the procedure is to lose altogether, or minimize, your dependency on the glasses and/or contact lenses.
 
i have been thinking about these myself but it seems not permanent and anyting that has surgery in the word scared me ....... I never had contacts so i might start that instead .
 
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